THE PATRIOT

                         NATHAN

          Father?

                         MARTIN

          Six-pounders.  Lots of them.

                         THOMAS

          How far away?

                         MARTIN

          Four, five miles.

                         SAMUEL

          Waxhaus?

                         MARTIN

          Just east of it.

                         MARGARET

          We could go stay at Aunt

          Charlotte's.  She's west.

                         MARTIN

          No, there'll be skirmishers on the

          roads.  We're safer here.

Thomas appears at the doorway with a pair of muskets.  He

gives one to Nathan and offers the other to his father.

                         MARTIN

          Put those away.

                         THOMAS

          But father, they might come this

          way.

                         MARTIN

          Put those things away!

INT.  WORKSHOP - DAY

Martin works the lathe, trying to concentrate.  Susan

watches from her perch on the woodpile.  A distracted

Martin slips, CUTTING HIS FINGER.  The BLOOD, landing on

the spinning dowel, makes a quick, bright red, circle

around the wood.  Martin continues working.

EXT.  BARN - DAY

The SOUND OF A CRASH.  A horse runs out of the barn,

dragging a tenacious Samuel who is holding onto the

horse's neck.  Joshua and Jonah step out of the barn,

admiring the boy's grit.  Samuel's grip fails and he lands

in the dirt.  Seeing that he's unhurt, Joshua and Jonah

laugh lightly as the horse runs off down the hill toward

the river.  Joshua stands Samuel up and brushes him off.

                         JOSHUA

          You go on and get him, there, boy.

Samuel grabs a rope and heads down the hill to get the

horse.

ON THE RIVERBANK

As Samuel approaches the horse he see it skittishly

approaching then retreating from the water.  Then he sees

the cause -- the water in the river has a pale, pink hue.

Samuel stares at it, trying to figure out what it is.

ON THE PORCH

Abigale sees Samuel beyond the yard wall and snaps at

Margaret.

                         ABIGALE

          Look where your brother is... your

          Papa said you stay close by this

          house... you bring him up here,

          right now.

Margaret heads after Samuel.  Abigale re-enters the house.

                         MARGARET

          Samuel...

He doesn't respond.  William trails after Margaret.

                         MARGARET

          Samuel, get up to the house...

          Papa's gonna be mad...

Then she sees it, too.  The pale pink is turning redder

and redder.  And then the BODIES.  First one, then more,

many more.  Torn apart.  Missing limbs.  Those with wide-

open wounds, are already drained of blood.  Others are

still seeping, leaving trails of deep red in the paler red

of the surrounding water.

Samuel, Margaret and William stand frozen, appalled and

fascinated.

MARTIN steps out of the workshop and sees the children at

the river.  He can't see what they're looking at.

Irritated, he walks toward them.

Then, as he nears the river, he sees the color of the

water and the bodies that have hypnotized his children.

He quickens his stride, speaking calmly but firmly,

careful not to frighten them.

                         MARTIN

          Up to the house, now.  All of you,

          come on.  Now.

EXT.  MARTIN'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Quiet.  Dark.  Martin stands on the front porch, looking

out into the night, listening, hearing nothing.  He

glances up at the NORTH STAR.

BEHIND THE HOUSE, A FIGURE IN THE DARKNESS, carrying a

musket, moves from shadow to shadow.

INT.  KITCHEN - NIGHT

Margaret and Samuel and William talk, their voices low.

                         SAMUEL

          They're going to come.

                         MARGARET

          Quiet.

                         SAMUEL

          We're going to have to fight them

          off.

                         WILLIAM

          Father will do that.

                         SAMUEL

          They'll probably kill us men and do

          Lord knows what to you women.

                         MARGARET

          Samuel!

A SOUND.  They all stop.  Something moved behind the

kitchen.  Margaret silently eases the others out of the

room.

SUDDENLY IN FRONT OF THEM, A BLOODY FIGURE

Big.  Hulking.  In uniform.  Margaret SCREAMS.  William

and Samuel CRY OUT.  The figure moves toward them...

Martin, on the porch, hears the scream, races into the

house... sees the figure... Martin reaches under his vest

and DRAWS A HERETOFORE UNSEEN PISTOL... cocks and aims in

a fast, practiced motion... he's just about to fire

when...

THE FIGURE MOVES INTO THE LIGHT... Martin sees...

                         MARTIN

          Gabriel!

Gabriel is wounded, battered and dirty, carrying a musket

and a dispatch case.  He sways.  Martin catches him and

eases him to a seat.  Abigale frantically looks at his

wounds.

                         THOMAS

          The battle, were you there?

                         MARTIN

          Abigale, get bandages and water.

          Thomas, the porch.

They hurry off.  Martin checks Gabriel's wounds.

                         GABRIEL

          Have you seen any Redcoats?

                         MARTIN

          Not yet.  What happened?

Abigale brings water and linen to Martin who expertly

cleans Gabriel's wounds and applies field-dressings as

they talk.

                         GABRIEL

          It wasn't like Saratoga.  There, we

          stayed in the trees, but this time

          Gates marched us straight at the

          Redcoats.  They fired two volleys

          into us and we broke like straw.  I

          was given these dispatches... I saw

          Virginia Regulars surrender... as

          they laid down their weapons the

          British Green Dragoons rode into

          them and hacked them to bits...

          killed them all, over two hundred

          men.

Martin's appalled.

                         MARTIN

          They had surrendered?

Gabriel nods.  Martin's stunned.  Gabriel tries to rise.

                         GABRIEL

          I have to get these dispatches to

          Hillsboro.

                         MARTIN

          You're in no condition to ride.

                         GABRIEL

          I can't stay here... it's not safe

          for any of you and I must get to...

          I...

Gabriel passes out.  Martin catches him and carries him to

a day-bed.  They hear HEAVY MUSKET FIRE, VERY CLOSE.

Martin hurries to the door and looks out into the night,

the children cluster around him, seeing a strange sight.

A SKIRMISH IN THE FIELD BELOW THE HOUSE

Pitch black.  Then a MUSKET FIRES, creating a FLASH OF

LIGHT that illuminates a tableau of soldiers, about three

dozen Redcoats and as many Patriots.

The strobe of the musket shot provides targets for an

ensuing VOLLEY OF SHOTS in every direction.  Then

darkness, punctuated by SCREAMS OF PAIN, CONFUSED

HOLLERING and the RUSTLING OF ARMED MEN IN MOVEMENT.

Then the pattern repeats itself:  A MUSKET FIRES,

illuminating a tableau of targets for another MURDEROUS

VOLLEY OF SHOTS.

                         MARTIN

          Margaret, take William and Susan

          down to the root cellar.  Thomas, go

          to the back porch.  Nathan and

          Samuel, the side windows.  Keep out

          of sight.

They hurry off.  Martin steps into the house and opens his

gun cabinet.  He extracts two pistols and a pair of

muskets.  Then he steps back to the front door.  He waits

and watches.

EXT.  LOWER FIELD - FRESH WATER PLANTATION - DAWN

First light.  The morning mist lies low over the field.

Martin warily approaches the scene of the battle.  He

carries a Pennsylvania rifle, has another slung over his

shoulder, and has a pair of pistols in his belt.

As Martin nears the field he sees, appearing out of the

mist, a nightmarish vision.  Young Redcoats and

Continentals are scattered on the ground, dead and

wounded.  Many have been hideously torn apart by the

massive musket balls.  Blood is everywhere.  Martin

hurries back toward the house.

EXT.  MARTIN'S HOUSE - FRESH WATER PLANTATION - DAY

The porch and yard have been turned into a field hospital.

There are about two dozen wounded, a few more Patriots

than Redcoats.  Joshua, Jonah and Mica unload the last

wagon-load of injured men.  Abigale, Thomas, Nathan,

Samuel and Margaret help Martin tend the soldiers.

William and Susan watch from inside.  Abner stands on the

edge of the yard as lookout.

Gabriel, stronger though still weakened by his wounds,

helps, treating a Patriot's arm wound, retying a

tourniquet, stanching an ugly flow of blood.  Thomas sees

and swoons, then grows embarrassed when Gabriel notices.

EXT.  MARTIN'S HOUSE - AFTERNOON

Triage completed.  Margaret and Samuel give water and

food.  Martin kneels next to a CONTINENTAL SERGEANT and a

COUPLE OF PRIVATES who are less severely wounded than the

others.

                         CONTINENTAL SERGEANT

          Thank you.

Martin nods, uncomfortable with the thanks.

                         MARTIN

          Sergeant, there are seventeen

          wounded men here.  Seven Redcoats

          and ten Patriots, counting my son.

          That puts me in a difficult

          position.

The Continental Sergeant knows what's coming.  The

Privates and Martin's younger children don't.  A troubled

Gabriel, overhearing, does know.

                         MARTIN

          You three are the least severely

          wounded.  I have to ask you to leave

          and find care elsewhere.

The Privates are stunned at the request.  The Sergeant

looks at Martin's children and nods.

                         SERGEANT

          I understand.

He struggles to his feet and jerks his head for the two

Privates to do the same.

                         SERGEANT

          Come on, boys.

Nathan, Samuel and Margaret are confused.

                         THOMAS

          Father?

                         NATHAN

          But they're wounded.

                         MARTIN

          There are rules, even in war.

Martin's children are not convinced.  Gabriel steps over

in front of Martin as the Sergeant and the two Privates

gather themselves to leave.

                         GABRIEL

          Father, no...

                         MARTIN

          We'll be safe this way.

                         GABRIEL

          Even now you won't pick a side?

Martin glances at his younger children then turns back to

Gabriel.

                         MARTIN

          I have.

Gabriel points to the more seriously wounded of the

Privates.

                         GABRIEL

          You stay, I'll go.

                         MARTIN

          No.  His wound is less severe than

          yours.

Gabriel hesitates.  The Private tentatively steps up.

                         PRIVATE

          He's right.  I'll go.

Gabriel backs down.  Martin hides his relief and turns to

the Sergeant and the Privates.

                         MARTIN

          Your best chance is in Bennington,

          seven miles east, along the river

          road.

The wounded men nod grimly and start off down the road.

                         MARTIN

          Thank you.

Martin, Gabriel and his children watch them go.  A

troubled Gabriel heads over to help the remaining wounded.

EXT.  FRESH WATER ROAD - DAY

A dirt road runs along the edge of the swamps.  Beautiful

country.  Peaceful.  The GROUND BEGINS TO SHAKE.  A

THUNDEROUS SOUND rises, louder and louder.  HORSES HOOVES.

From around a bend, a detachment of cavalry gallops:

British GREEN DRAGOONS.  The finest light calvary in the

world.  Hard, strong men.  Excellent horsemen.  Their

mounts are powerful, muscled and perfectly cared for.  The

Dragoons themselves are all hardened veterans, marked with

the blood and dirt of a recent battle.  Tired and

vigorous.

Armed to the teeth, each with a flintlock carbine, a brace

of pistols and a sword.  Some carry lances.  Flags

flutter.

And at their head, the most imposing man of all, LT.

COLONEL WILLIAM TAVINGTON.  "The Butcher."  Aristocratic.

Strong.  Dark.  A powerful horseman on the best mount of

the entire troop.  Decorated.  Imperious.  No temper, just

hard, cold authority.  His men struggle to keep up with

him.

Behind them, two dozen LOYALIST MILITIA CALVARY.  Nasty,

local men.  Civilian clothes.  Riding at their head, AMOS

GASKINS, grizzled, lower-class, wearing ill-fitting

patrician's clothing.

AROUND A BEND

The three wounded Patriots who just left Martin's farm

hear the horses coming, stand on the side of the road,

raise their arms and a white cloth of surrender.

The Green Dragoons rein in.  Tavington stops in front of

the three men.  He motions for one of his men to lower his

weapon.  Then he speaks calmly, quietly, to the wounded

men.

                         TAVINGTON

          You're surrendering.

                         CONTINENTAL SERGEANT

          Yes, sir.

                         TAVINGTON

          What unit?

                         CONTINENTAL SERGEANT

          First Virginia Regulars under

          Colonel Hamilton.

                         TAVINGTON

          Who cared for your wounds?

They hesitate.

                         CONTINENTAL SERGEANT

          We did.

                         TAVINGTON

          With a lace table cloth?

Tavington turns to his second-in-command, MAJOR WILKINS.

                         TAVINGTON

          Kill them.

Tavington rides off.  Wilkins and several other Dragoons

calmly FIRE THEIR PISTOLS, killing the three Patriots.

The troops ride off, thundering past the bodies.

EXT.  FRESH WATER PLANTATION - DAY

Martin, his family and freedmen continue tending the

wounded.  REDCOAT INFANTRY appear out of the woods,

heading toward the house.  Three dozen men.  Scouts and

flank units covering the main body.  Martin gathers his

family around him, stands and waits.

Joshua, Jonah and Mica stand among the wounded.  Abigale

makes her way to Martin and the children, gathering the

younger ones closer to her.

The Redcoats warily eye the wounded and Martin's family.

A young REDCOAT LIEUTENANT motions his men to check out

the house and barn, then does a silent count of the

wounded.

                         REDCOAT LIEUTENANT

          These men are of my regiment.  Thank

          you.

Martin nods.  ONE OF THE REDCOATS emerges from the house

carrying Gabriel's dispatch case.

                         REDCOAT

          Rebel dispatches, sir.

Gabriel steps up.

                         GABRIEL

          I carried those.  I was wounded,

          these people gave me care, they have

          nothing to do with the dispatches.

                         REDCOAT LIEUTENANT

          I understand.

The SOUND OF HORSES HOOVES.  All turn and see:

TAVINGTON and the GREEN DRAGOONS thundering down the road

toward the house.  It's an impressive, frightening sight.

They rein in their horses, stopping in the yard, enveloped

by their trailing cloud of dust.

Tavington surveys the scene, then speaks to the young

Redcoat Lieutenant.

                         TAVINGTON

          Lieutenant, have a detachment take

          our wounded to our surgeons at

          Camden crossing.  Use whatever

          horses and wagons you can find here.

                         REDCOAT LIEUTENANT

          Yes, sir.

He hands the dispatch case to Tavington.

                         REDCOAT LIEUTENANT

          We found this, sir.

Tavington opens it and quickly scans the contents.

                         TAVINGTON

          Who carried this?

                         GABRIEL

          I did.

                         TAVINGTON

                  (to Lt. re: Gabriel)

          Take this one to Camden, he's a spy.

          He will be hung.

Martin quickly steps between Tavington and Gabriel.

                         MARTIN

          Colonel, he's a dispatch rider and

          that's a marked dispatch case.

Tavington ignores Martin and continues speaking to the

Lieutenant.

                         TAVINGTON

          Fire the house and barns.  Send the

          slaves to Acworth... enlist the

          young ones.  Leave the rest of the

          goods.

Abigale is appalled.  Joshua steps up.

                         JOSHUA

          We're not slaves, we're freedmen...

                         TAVINGTON

          Then you're freedmen who will enlist

          in the King's army.

Martin grows distraught...

                         MARTIN

          Colonel...

                         REDCOAT LIEUTENANT

          And the Rebel wounded?

                         TAVINGTON

          Kill them.

The Redcoat Lieutenant and several of his men are shocked

by the order.  Martin is, also, but he's more concerned

with Gabriel.  He pushes past some Redcoats and stands at

Tavington's mount, looking up.

                         MARTIN

          A dispatch rider with a marked case

          cannot be held for spying.

Tavington finally pays attention to Martin.  He looks down

at his anguished face and offers the barest of smiles.

                         TAVINGTON

          We're not going to hold him, we're

          going to hang him.

                         MARTIN

          But...

Tavington draws his pistol and points it at Martin.

Gabriel tries to intercede but is held back by a burly

Redcoat Corporal.

                         GABRIEL

          Father...

                         TAVINGTON

          Oh, he's your son.  You should have

          taught him about loyalty.

                         MARTIN

          Colonel, I beg you, please

          reconsider.  By the rules of war, a

          dispatch rider with a marked case...

Tavington controls his shifting mount, keeping his pistol

trained on Martin's face.

                         TAVINGTON

          Would you like a lesson in the rules

          of war?

Martin doesn't answer.  He looks up at Tavington coldly,

taking his measure, waiting to see if he's going to pull

the trigger.